Roof repairs force Sequoyah closureRoof repairs have given Sequoyah Elementary students a long weekend. The Russellville School District (RSD) released a statement Thursday that said because of an odor produced by elementary school roof repairs, the school closed early at 10 a.m. and would not be open on Friday. The school will reopen on Monday, and no absences will be recorded for the two days missed. Superintendent Randall Williams said days missed will not be made up by the ...

Shadow Day at Subiaco AcademySubiaco Academy, a Catholic, college preparatory boarding and day school for young men located in western Arkansas, is hosting a Shadow Day for prospective students and their parents on Oct. 10. The event is open for boys in grades 6-10 to attend and explore the Academy’s junior and senior high program. Prospective boarders and early arrivals can spend Thursday night before the Shadow Day in a residence hall. Parents’ accommodations are provid...

Local nonprofits connect with ATU studentsMore than 325 Arkansas Tech University students learned about volunteer opportunities in the Arkansas River Valley during a community service fair sponsored by the ATU Student Activities Board on Tuesday, Sept. 23. Nineteen area organizations greeted ATU students and informed them about ways they can become involved in their community during the two-hour event on the Hindsman Tower lawn. “I think it’s important for students to be able to know ...

Bond hearingsEditor's note: Pursuant to Arkansas state law, The Courier is prohibited from publishing the name of a juvenile unless he or she is formally charged with a felony. The juvenile who appeared during felony bond hearings had not been formally charged as of Wednesday afternoon. The following individuals appeared during felony bond hearings Wednesday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are li...

Pope County unemployment rate drops 1 percentEditor's note: All of the 2014 figures in this report are preliminary, and all of the 2013 figures are final. The data is not seasonally adjusted. The unemployment rate for Pope County improved from 8.3 percent in July 2013 to 7.3 percent this July, according to preliminary numbers released by the Department of Workforce Services (DWS). In July — the most recent data available — 2,150 people out of a labor force of 29,375 were without jobs, wh...

Pottsville to purchase pickupPOTTSVILLE — The Pottsville City Council unanimously approved the purchase of a truck for the street department during its regular meeting Monday. "Right now, we have five guys and three trucks," Public Works Director Jason Howard told the council. Mayor Jerry Williams said a 2012 Ford F-350 Super Duty four-wheel-drive truck with no bed was available for $23,500 and recommended the money be taken from the general fund. "As you can see, it has ...

News Briefs (Sept. 25, 2014)Plainview Frontier Day Plainview Frontier Day will be held on Saturday. A parade will begin at 10 a.m., with a best western dress contest to follow along with booths, bingo, silent auction, train rides, hay rides, a pumpkin patch, kids activities and entertainment. For more information, call Pat Bailey at (479) 272-4766 or Plainview City Hall at (479) 272-4320. National Public Lands Day Event The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will close Bona De...

Men encouraged to take part in Prostate Cancer Awareness MonthSaint Mary's Regional Health System officials are encouraging men to be proactive about their prostates during September Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Brenda Harrison, director of community relations and marketing, said Saint Mary's offers a prostate screening every few years, but men are encouraged to be screened annually after the age of 40. "Encourage your father or your brother to get screened," Harrison said. "They can make an appointm...

Former Pirate honoredA Pope County native was honored during a ceremony Friday for winning the 2014 Teacher of the Year for the Walnut Valley Unified district in California. Sherry Robertson, who graduated from Dover High School in 1993 and Arkansas Tech University in 1997, was first awarded Teacher of the Year at Chaparral Middle School where she teaches sixth-grade humanities and eighth-grade language arts by her fellow teachers and then a panel chose her as the...

Board hears from EAST studentsDOVER — Students from the Dover High School Environmental and Spatial Technology (EAST) lab classes reported to the Dover Board of Education on their Hike Through Habitats and Outdoor Classroom programs and other projects for the 2014-15 year during the board’s September meeting. EAST students Shelby Hartzell and Jordan Jorgensen presented a slideshow of the “Hiking Through Habitats” nature study project. Students have completed 40 hours of cl...

News Briefs (Sept. 24, 2014)Accuracy test today The Pope County Election Commission will conduct logic and accuracy testing on all equipment to be used in the runoff election for the Dover School Board at 2 p.m. today. Hospice yard sale The hospice yard sale will be held from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at the old National Home Center warehouse, located at 1509 E. Main St. in Russellville. For more information, call (479) 264-5461. Bingo canceled Community...

Council once again overrides vetoOne year, two overridden vetoes and three city official resignations later, the Overland Park subdivision is back on track. The Russellville City Council during a called meeting Tuesday overrode Mayor Bill Eaton's veto of an ordinance to accept the final plat of the Overland Park subdivision. The council also approved authorizing City Engineer Kurt Jones to accept the final plat when it conforms to land use and development code. Aldermen Mark ...

Daly's Lion's Den shuts downLion’s Den Golf club locked its doors for good on Sunday after professional golfer and owner John Daly posted on his Twitter page last week that he planned to close or sell the golf course. The Lion’s Den has been in operation since 1969 and Daly has been the owner since 2005.

A musical travelogueThe internationally acclaimed ensemble Dallas Brass performed at The Center for the Arts Monday evening taking those in attendance for a musical travelogue through American history from George Washington to the present day.

Mental evaluation to postpone Floyd's trialDANVILLE — Brooke Floyd's attorney, William O. "Bill" James Jr. of Little Rock, on Friday filed a request for a mental evaluation of his client. Floyd, 21, is charged with manslaughter in the death of her 10-month-old son Harper. Floyd's attorney said the evaluation was just a "precaution" to make sure Floyd understands the proceedings. Floyd's trial date, which was scheduled to begin Oct. 6 in the Yell County Circuit Court in Danville, is exp...

Dover increases AP programDOVER — Dover High School (DHS) Principal Jolynn Taverner presented results of the past academic year’s Advanced Placement (AP) and ACT tests to the school board during its meeting last week. Taverner told the board that participation in the AP program was continuing to increase and 30 percent of Dover students received a 3 or better and qualified for college credit. Taverner said the school now offered 10 AP classes in various disciplines and...

First round of OEP awards announcedCenter Valley Elementary School of the Russellville School District and Pottsville Elementary School, Pottsville Middle Grades and Pottsville Junior High of the Pottsville School District won awards from the University of Arkansas Office for Education Policy (OEP) for their high achievement on the spring 2014 Benchmark exams. Each year, the OEP recognizes the highest-performing schools in Arkansas based on the Benchmark and End-of-Course exams...

News Briefs (Sept. 23, 2014)Special called City Council meeting tonight A special called city council meeting will be held at 6 p.m. tonight at City Council Chambers. The special agenda item concerns the consideration of the veto by Mayor Bill Eaton regarding the Overland Park Subdivision Final Plat. Spirit Night Fundraiser tonight The Russellville Football Booster Club will host a “Spirit Night Fundraiser” at Chick-Fil-A at 5 p.m. today. Everyone is invited to show thei...

Jerry receives back-to-school check-upThe Russellville Animal Clinic will provide veterinary care for Jerry the Bulldog, campus ambassador at Arkansas Tech University, for a second consecutive year in 2014-15. Arkansas Tech alumni Dr. David Oates (left) and Dr. Heath Stump (right) of Russellville Animal Clinic recently performed Jerry’s back-to-school check-up in advance of the new academic year. Though summer is transitioning into fall, the Russellville Animal Clinic said it is i...